>> tomorrow, our coverage of the national governors association panel caps off in washington, d.c. that is live on saturday, 4:15 p.m. eastern. our coverage of day three of cpac begins this morning with president donald trump. his third appearance at the conference and worst as president. that is live at 10:10 a.m. eastern time. later we will hear from the nra executive president. nra isted this week, the going to lead what he called the counter resistance on behalf of the compensation. former presidential candidate carly fiorina will also address the conference. 1245 in theive at afternoon. vice president mike pence wrapped update two of cpac -- wrapped up yesterday, day two of

cpac. >> everyone having a good time? cpacany of you came to last year? that is great. how many of you remember what happened six days before cpac started last year, february 16? american freedom suffered a devastating loss when justice scalia passed away. 2016day, the states of the election fundamentally changed. this was no longer a fight for the next four years. this was going to be a fight for the next 40 years. as you remember, the republican primary was still, let's say, interesting. we knew hillary clinton was either going to win or steel democrat nomination. we knew exactly what hillary's

supreme court with the like. for those of us that support the rights we knew our gun would be gone. we survived this report by just one vote. he passed away. think about that. the court ruled we had a right to keep a gun in our homes if some criminal breaks into her home. that is it. hillary said it was a terrible decision. she said the supreme court was wrong on the second amendment. we decided freedom could not afford for us to wait. the nra has not backed down from a fight in 146 years, and we were not scared of hillary clinton. [applause] we made the earliest endorsements in our history when we endorsed donald trump for may.dent in

>> we did not care, and we did not flinch. we spent more human resources and financial resources than ever before. we were running tv ads when no other group in america was fighting because nra members knew the soul of our country was estate. it was not an easy ride. there were moments last year would you knew we could win. hillary turned her back on law enforcement. you knew americans across the country were not with her. when she embraced an open borders philosophy that favored century cities over the rule of law, you knew in your heart it

was wrong. when she said we were all deplorable, and even you thought maybe we would fight back and donald trump did that. sanctuary cities, no thanks. i will take a wall. turn our backs on law enforcement? absolutely not. they deserve our thanks and respect. while cnn serenaded hillary clinton, his fingers got talking on twitter. for all the moment you felt like we had a chance, you know what that moment was for me?

the moment donald trump picked mike heads to serve as his running mate. i have the honor of presenting the vice president. i couldn't be more proud to do so. the courage under fire award is the highest award presented at cpac. it's only given when a worthy recipient is apparent. it recognizes individuals who show backbone and conservative values and principles. the award is a flintlock rifle. in reality, it represents the strength of american freedom. so does the award winner. throughout his life, mike pence tested on faith and principle.

he is grateful for the grace of god, the support of his family, and the blessings of liberty that are every americans earth right. that sums up the man. i can't think of a better recipient for this award. mikes and gentlemen, pence.

mr. pence: hello cpac. it is great to be back as the premier gathering of conservatives in the united states of america. [applause] mr. pence: this is the ninth time i have had the privilege to address cpac. thanks to all of you and the confidence of our new president, this is the first time i am here as vice president of the united states of america.

[applause] mr. pence: because of all of you, because of your hard work and your support and your prayers, my family and i have the privilege to serve. and more importantly, because of all of you, my friend donald trump is the 45th president of the united states of america. [applause] mr. pence: you know, the president and i have become good friends. it is the greatest privilege of my life to be vice president to a leader of such conviction, vision, and courage. some people have remarked that we are a little bit different. [laughter] mr. pence: i am a small guy, he is big city. i am midwest, he is manhattan island. he is known for his bigger than life personality, his charm, his

charisma. and i am, like, not. [laughter] [applause] mr. pence: as i said at the republican convention, i guess he was just looking to balance the ticket. all kidding aside, when president trump asked me to join them on the ticket, i said yes in a heartbeat. because you have elected a man for president who never quits. he never backs down. he is a fighter.

he is a winner. and i promise you, he will never stop fighting until we make america great again. [applause] mr. pence: from the onset, our president reminded me of somebody else. a man who inspired me to actually join the cause of conservatism nearly 40 years ago. president ronald reagan. [applause] mr. pence: i believe president trump is giving voice to the aspirations and frustrations of the american people like no leader since reagan. i just knew our new president would reignite our cause and renew it in our own day. and he did just that. president trump won a historic victory all across the united states of america. [applause] mr. pence: think about it. 30 out of 50 states, including state and no republican had carried in a generation. president donald trump turned up the blue wall red. [applause]

mr. pence: and you know what? the establishment never saw it coming. i mean the media, the elites, the insiders, everybody else who saw preserving the status quo, they dismissed our president every step of the way. in dismissing him, they also dismissed millions of the hard-working, forgotten men and women who make this country great. worse yet, they are still trying to dismiss him. they are trying to dismiss all of us. what they should have learned on election day is, this is not a government of the elites, by the media, or for the establishment. what november 8th shown, even if they did not listen, this is still government of the people, by the people, and for the people. [applause]

mr. pence: and the last november, the american people rose up, demanded a safer america. more prosperous america, and a great america again. that is why the american people elected donald trump as president of the united states of america, and president donald trump is already delivering for the american people. [applause] mr. pence: so i am here today because of all of you and this conservative movement. on behalf of the president, from the bottom of my heart, let me say thank you. thank you for your hard work in your commitment to our cause. but our fight did not and on november 8. we won the day, no mistake about it. at the hardest, most important work lies ahead. the fight goes on. let me make you a promise. president trump will fight for you every single day. [applause]

mr. pence: president trump is a man of his word and we are keeping the promises he made to the american people. at the white house i like to say we're in the promise-keeping business these days. when president trump asked me to chair the transition he looked at me and said, mike, just get me the best. [laughter] mr. pence: and how about that, attorney general jeff sessions. [applause] mr. pence: how about jim, "mad dog," mattis as secretary of defense? how about dr. ben carson for housing and urban development, just to name a few? i could go on and name every single one of them and i am proud to stand with each one of you. this is the a-team.

i say with great confidence knowing the men and women he has assembled around us, president trump has assembled the strongest conservative cabinet in my lifetime. bar none. [applause] mr. pence: with in this team, we have conservatives have an opportunity that only comes around every few generations. or maybe just once in a lifetime. my friends, this is our time. mr. pence: this is the chance we have worked so hard for so long to see. this is a time to prove again that our answers are the right answers for america. a strong military, more jobs, less taxes, respect for the constitution, and the values

that have made america great in a deep and abiding faith in the goodness of the american people. mr. pence: history will attest, every time america produces a leader that build on this firm foundation, our nation reaches heights that once seemed unreachable. and let me assure you, president donald trump is such a leader. under his leadership, we are making america great again. [applause]

mr. pence: he is putting america first and putting americans back to work already. he is rebuilding the military and putting our enemies on notice. he is supporting law enforcement and and for all. [applause] mr. pence: years rolling back big government and flashing through red tape, upholding the constitution, restoring the culture of life and president donald trump is leading the fight to repeal and replace obamacare. [applause] mr. pence: and let me assure you, america's obamacare nightmare is about to end. [applause] mr. pence: you know, despite the best efforts of liberal

activists at town halls around the country, the american people know better. obamacare has failed and obamacare must go. [applause] mr. pence: this law is crippling the american economy and crushing the american people. talk about your fate is, folks, just look at all the promises americans made about obamacare. they told us the cost of insurance would go down. they told us if you like your doctor, you could keep him. they told us if you like your health plan, you could keep it, but now, we all know the truth. today, americans are paying $2000 more a year on average for health insurance. best year, premiums skyrocketed by a stunning 25%. millions lost their plans and doctors. higher costs, fewer choices, worse care. that is obamacare. [laughter]

mr. pence: if that were not bad enough, obamacare is a job killer and everyone in america knows it. we are about to change all about by repealing obamacare once and for all, eliminating its mandates, intrusions into your business and lives. [applause] mr. pence: and best of all, the president trump -- with president trump leadership, obamacare will be replaced with something that actually works. something both on freedom and individual responsibility. president trump and i want everybody to have access to quality and affordable health insurance, which is why we are making a better law. we are going to let americans purchase health insurance across state lines, the way you buy your life insurance and car insurance. we are going to make sure americans with pre-existing conditions have access to health insurance and the security they

need and we are going to give states the freedom and flexibility to take care of the least fortunate in the best way that will work in their state and community. you know, despite all the fear mongering from the left, make no mistake about it, we will have an orderly transition to a better health care system that finally put the american people first. after we bp law and replace obamacare, we are going to do a whole lot more. we are going to start off by rebuilding the american military. we will restore the arsenal of democracy, provide our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guard with the resources and training they need to

accomplish their mission and come home safe, and we will hunt down and destroy isis at its source, so we can no longer have it threaten our nation or families. [applause] mr. pence: we are going to get this economy moving again by cutting taxes for working families, small businesses, and family farms. we are going to keep rolling back job killing regulations and recind unconstitutional orders signed by barack obama and under president trump's leadership, we are going to restore fiscal responsibility to washington, d.c. and enact real education reform that gives families more choices in recognizing education is a state and local function and under president donald trump, no state will ever be forced to adopt the common core.

you know, i am proud to stand with a president who is doing all of this and more and i am proud to stand with a president who stands with our most cherished ally. the jewish state of israel. [applause] mr. pence: israel's fights is our fight, her cause is our cause, her values are our values, and under president trump, america will stand with

israel. [applause] mr. pence: and maybe most of all, maybe most of all, i am grateful and honored to serve with the president who will uphold our constitution and the sanctity of human life. [applause] mr. pence: because of president donald trump, life is winning in america again. [applause] mr. pence: last month, he reinstated the mexico city policy, preventing foreign aid from funding organizations that promote or perform abortions, and we will make the hyde amendment permanent. [applause] mr. pence: and when it comes to the highest court in the land, and judge neil gorsuch, president trump kept his word to nominate a new justice to the

supreme court who will uphold our constitution and on the god-given liberties enshrined in it in the tradition of the late and great justice antonin scalia. mr. pence: men and women of the conservative movement, this is our time, and i promise you the president and i will work our hearts out to make america safe again, to make america prosperous again, but the success of our movement and more importantly the success of our country depends as much on all of you as it does on us. we must all of us rise to the

challenge before us tomorrow and every day thereafter through the other side is not sitting idle and their allies in the media are more than willing to amplify their defense of the failed status quo every single day. now more than ever, as we did before when this movement won cap the congress in 2010 and won back the white house in 2016, we have got to do what we did before. we have got to mobilize, march forward, as if it is a most important time in the history of our movement because it is. [applause] mr. pence: men and women of this movement, there is no time like the present, so make your voices heard in town halls with your family and friends, on the internet and social media, and all those places where common sense conservative messages are most desperately needed, as this is our time.

from this day forward, to make america great again, president trump and i need every ounce of your energy and enthusiasm, your conviction, your coverage, your passion, and we need one more thing, if you are inclined. we need your prayers. [applause] mr. pence: last month, i took my oath of office, administered by the great justice clarence thomas. [applause] mr. pence: for this grandson of an irish immigrant, it is hard to describe the privilege, that i and my family felt that day. i put my hand on the bible used by the 40th president of the

united states back in january of 1981. [applause] mr. pence: but what was uncanny about that moment was that i opened that bible to the verse that he had open to on that day and it happened to be the very same verse are most often quoted as i campaigned across this country on behalf of our new president, as we labor and advance this clause to restore our country, we i think would do well to remember those ancient words. that if his people, who are called by his name, will humble themselves and pray, he will do like he has always done. he will heal this land.

one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. mr. pence: so, reflecting on those timeless truth in the work we have to do, my fellow americans, it is time that i am confident. i am confident with your health, and with god's health, and with president donald trump in the white house, i know the best days for america are yet to come. [applause]

mr. pence: let's get to work. thank you. god bless you. god bless you. [cheers] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2017] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

>> watch donald trump. thehis is going to be busiest congress we've had in decades. >> listen live on the free c-span radio app. quick -- >> lawson -- washington journal is live. donald trump will be speaking this morning. in the afternoon we will hear from wayne lapierre and carly fiorina. an hour, theabout director for the leadership institute on what conservatism means to millennials and the debate on college campuses. the executive director for the national center for transgender equality will talk about the reversal of the transgender

bathroom protections. a former national intelligence council officer will talk about u.s. russia relations under a trump administration. >> he's going to continue to press his in the agenda. as more jobs get better, we will continue to fight. if you think they are going to give you your country back without a fight, you are sadly mistaken. friday, february 24. the conservative gathering continues this morning. president trump is speaking after 10:00. we will have it for you live. congress is back in session after the recess.